ASML Holding NV Stock Buy Recommendation Reiterated (ASML)

Editor's Note: TheStreet ratings do not represent the views of TheStreet's staff or its contributors. Ratings are established by computer based on metrics for performance (which includes growth, stock performance, efficiency and valuation) and risk (volatility and solvency). Companies with poor cash flow or high debt levels tend to earn lower ratings in our model.

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- ASML (Nasdaq:ASML) has been reiterated by TheStreet Ratings as a buy with a ratings score of B+ . The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its revenue growth, largely solid financial position with reasonable debt levels by most measures, solid stock price performance, increase in net income and expanding profit margins. We feel these strengths outweigh the fact that the company has had somewhat weak growth in earnings per share.

• EXCLUSIVE OFFER: Jim Cramer's Protégé, Dave Peltier, only buys Stocks Under $10 that he thinks could potentially double. See what he's trading today with a 14-day FREE pass

Highlights from the ratings report include:

• The revenue growth came in higher than the industry average of 11.0%. Since the same quarter one year prior, revenues slightly increased by 8.2%. This growth in revenue does not appear to have trickled down to the company's bottom line, displayed by a decline in earnings per share.
• ASML's debt-to-equity ratio is very low at 0.19 and is currently below that of the industry average, implying that there has been very successful management of debt levels. To add to this, ASML has a quick ratio of 1.71, which demonstrates the ability of the company to cover short-term liquidity needs.
• Compared to its closing price of one year ago, ASML's share price has jumped by 28.45%, exceeding the performance of the broader market during that same time frame. Regarding the stock's future course, although almost any stock can fall in a broad market decline, ASML should continue to move higher despite the fact that it has already enjoyed a very nice gain in the past year.
• 45.40% is the gross profit margin for ASML HOLDING NV which we consider to be strong. It has increased from the same quarter the previous year. Along with this, the net profit margin of 28.58% is above that of the industry average.
• The net income growth from the same quarter one year ago has significantly exceeded that of the S&P 500 and the Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry. The net income increased by 34.4% when compared to the same quarter one year prior, rising from $313.01 million to $420.58 million.

ASML Holding N.V., through its subsidiaries, engages in designing, manufacturing, marketing, and servicing semiconductor processing equipment used in the fabrication of integrated circuits. ASML has a market cap of $37.76 billion and is part of the technology sector and electronics industry. Shares are up 16.1% year to date as of the close of trading on Monday.

You can view the full ASML Ratings Report or get investment ideas from our investment research center.

--Written by a member of TheStreet Ratings Staff.

It's Official: Action Alerts PLUS beats the S&P 500 with Dividends Reinvested! Cramer and Link were up 16.72% in 2012. Were you? See what they are trading for 14-days FREE

 

For more information on ASML Holding NV click any of the following:

• ASML Holding NV Stock Price

• ASML Holding NV Analyst Ratings

• ASML Holding NV Key Stats & Profile

• ASML Holding NV Earnings

• ASML Holding NV Ratio Comparison

• ASML Holding NV Growth Rates

• ASML Holding NV Balance Sheet

• ASML Holding NV Cash Flow

• ASML Holding NV Income Statement